In the first reading from the Book of Daniel, Azariah prays for God's forgiveness not just for himself but for the community. He reflects on the social sin of his time. Not just something an individual has done but what the community had done or failed to do. Azariah seeks God's forgiveness. Often we do not think this way we worry more about individual sin rather than looking at ourselves as a community of faith who at times sin together by our action or our lack of action. We rarely take into consideration social sin and yet we, as a community, are responsible for what we do or don't do.
We might think the Gospel turns us back to individual forgiveness but in a way it carries through with our first reading's theme. The other servants see the injustice of the one servant and look to correct the problem. We might say it is the community that deals with the injustice.
Forgiveness and being a forgiving person, a forgiving community, was a constant theme in the life of Jesus. It is not an easy way to life. We would rather seek revenge than be forgiving. We would rather hold the hurt in our heart than be forgiving. It takes hard work and a heart of compassion. Jesus taught us how to have such a heart. He taught us how to be forgiving people and he also taught us how to take responsibility for our sinfulness. He showed us how to be people of faith. He showed us how to take responsibility and also how to be compassionate and forgiving. He taught us that forgiveness is an ongoing process.
Jesus taught us the ways of God. He showed us the path to walk. The question is; are we willing to learn and walk down the path that Jesus has set before us?
Daily Lenten Prayer: Loving God, enliven in us your gifts of compassion and forgiveness. Teach us to walk in your way of truth and love. Grace us with the wisdom to recognize our own faults and failings as individuals and a community. Enable us to seek forgiveness and to be forgiving. Help us to walk humbly through life as you show us the paths to walk! Amen!
Runner’s Thought: Endurance
is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory. (William Barclay, Scottish Theologian)
Welcome to Tuesday everyone! I hope today will be a good day for you, one filled with many blessings. We sit here in the east and wait for a storm that is supposed to hit us late tonight, I don't know what is going to happen to my final day of the parish mission here at St. Bartholomew but I cannot control the weather so we will celebrate today and enjoy today and then see what tomorrow brings and if you are not in the path of the storm, lucky you. If you are hang in there, it is March and spring is not far away! At least I hope it isn't!
Our opening day of the mission when every well though I have to say I was a little nervous last night at 7:25 pm there were only 8 people in the church, however by 7:35 pm there were over 100 people in the church. Apparently people wait until the last minute around here. I had a good crowd in the morning and evening and I am looking forward to today's sessions. Please continue to pray for the faith community here at St. Bartholomew and for their preacher.
Again, I pray you will have a great day filled with many graced moments. May any struggles be minor ones that quickly are solved. I would also like to send a shout out to my nephew, Paul, on this his birthday...Have a great day Paul! Have a great day everyone! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
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